Chappell's warning a worry for Hussey

Andrew Wu

VETERAN Michael Hussey faces a nervous week awaiting his fate as a Test cricketer after Greg Chappell said reputations would count for nothing when national selectors convened later this week to pick Australia's squad for the Ashes opener.

But with selectors locked into naming the squad next Monday, the main rivals for Hussey's spot - South Australia's Callum Ferguson and NSW's Usman Khaawaja - are likely to have just one match to further their case for a Test debut.

While Chappell refused to sound the death knell on Hussey's 54-Test career, he said form would count for plenty at the selection table.

''It's a performance-based meritocracy. Those that perform will do OK, those that don't perform, it will be that much harder,'' Chappell said.

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Hussey, for his part, said he was attempting to distance himself from the conjecture surrounding his place in the Test squad. ''I haven't thought about it,'' he said. ''I've pretty much removed myself from the media speculation that is going around. I didn't even know when the team gets named so I'm hoping I'm on the sheet.''

It's unknown how many players Andrew Hilditch's panel will pick for the Gabba with doubts still swirling over the fitness of left-armer Doug Bollinger and opener Simon Katich. Bollinger, sidelined by a stomach strain, will not make his return to first-class cricket until Wednesday week, while Katich is recovering from a thumb injury.

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Hussey remains a force in Australia's limited-overs sides but has endured a modest run in the five-day arena in the past two years with just two centuries from 28 Tests. His average dipped below 50 during last month's series.

With Western Australia not involved in shield action this week, the left-hander, who made scores of zero and three against South Australia in his most recent first-class match, will not get another hit before selectors name their squad.

His position in the side was weakened further after centuries to North and Ferguson in the last round of shield matches, and Khawaja's impressive start to the season, which has netted him 274 runs at an average of 137.

Ferguson will go head to head with England in a tour match in Adelaide while Khawaja faces back-to-back shield champion Victoria at the SCG in a bumper week for the domestic competition.

''They're pretty important. Obviously we don't get the chance for the Test guys to play shield cricket too often, so it's an opportunity to see how blokes perform in domestic cricket against the better bowlers and batsmen in the country. It will give us a good guide,'' Chappell said.

''Nobody will be sitting these out. They're part of our program leading into the Test series. Everyone is expected to play unless they're injured. If someone's injured, then that's a different story.''

England's four-day tour match against Australia A in Hobart starting on Wednesday week will come too late to influence the team for the Ashes opener but it could have a strong bearing on selection for the second Test in Adelaide.

''You'd think that the timing of it will be harder for someone to come into the first Test team but we know what we're doing,'' Chappell said.

''We've got an eye on what we think we'll need. The ones we need to play Australia A will play and some of them will be well and truly on the radar. Any performance in that game will be important.

''It will have a bearing on the summer in some shape or form, whether it's Brisbane or later on, obviously it'll depend on how things go.''

Selectors will name the Australia A squad today.

''It's not going to be an Australian team masquerading as an Australian A side, it'll be an Australian A side. So it'll be the best young cricketers in the country,'' Chappell said.